I have heard that men can get into the same state - that even leading and floorcraft can become automatic. I suppose its like driving a car..

That is what you are striving for, in psychology they say that once you have driven a car long enough it becomes an activity that can be done with divided attention, or is an automatic activity. For most people i think, dancing seems to be a controlled activity, meaning that when they dance their full attention is given to technique etc. if you could get this to become an automatic activity, it would allow so much/less to be done, and a sense of calm would be the result

Zac

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Dance is poetry written for the feet, read by the heart, and destined for the soul.

I have heard that men can get into the same state - that even leading and floorcraft can become automatic. I suppose its like driving a car..

I've had that happen. Not nearly often enough...

When it's really clicking, I think it's like the mental state that great race car drivers can get into. The way that goes is: Pretty good drivers are "with the car"; they are aware of the cars immediately around them, and they can get through the next corner without wrecking. Really good drivers are "ahead of the car"; they know what the cars around them are going to be doing in the next several seconds, and they've already planned their line through the next corner. Great drivers are several laps ahead of the car; they have a complete mental picture of what every car on the track is doing. They have internalized all of the mental processes of operating and maneuvering the car. Most of their conscious thinking is strategic; they are thinking about when they will catch and pass other cars, and how much time they can gain in the laps remaining.

Thinking further on this... I think I just figured out what one of my objections is to the emphasis on learning routines for competition. It's not the routines per se; it's that the emphasis is in the wrong place. Too many coaches and couples approach it as "do this routine perfectly and you'll win". Racers know that the car that is capable of running the fastest laps, when alone on the track, is often not the car that wins the race. That's because learning the fast way around the track is not the objective; it is only a means to an end. Same with comp routines.

Thinking further on this... I think I just figured out what one of my objections is to the emphasis on learning routines for competition. It's not the routines per se; it's that the emphasis is in the wrong place. Too many coaches and couples approach it as "do this routine perfectly and you'll win". Racers know that the car that is capable of running the fastest laps, when alone on the track, is often not the car that wins the race. That's because learning the fast way around the track is not the objective; it is only a means to an end. Same with comp routines.

I agree entirely - but the real point of a routine is to permit really good dancers to do very difficult steps AND get reach the effortless, automatic mode. GREAT dancers (should) no longer need the routine as a prop but can dance just about anything anywhere. I suspect, however, that many top level dancers never make that final realization.

With my AM guys, I'm usually thinking "just relax, relax... relax! Ok now smile, judge is looking, smile! I know there are a lot of people out here, just have fun! Oh yeah, smile some more!" Usually by the second or third round the guys feel more warmed up and can really get into their dancing.

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"The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning."

I too always thing about my smiling....I know that I have to smile and then it become second nature. the comment is from others that are watching is that we are generally the only couple out of the floor that actually looks like we are enjoy ourselves.

but what ever you think, as long as it works for you and help you to achieve the results you are after!

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Dance is a delicate balance between perfection and beauty. ~Author UnknownDance Forum

I don't think on the floor .... I mean if we have to change the routine mid-dance and move parts around its ok because we've done it so many times (I can **usually** pick up on what he wants me to do), so my mind shuts off and I just go with the flow and enjoy it ... I sing along with whatever's playing.. LOL it's a VERY bad habit... but I just love dancing and competing so much that once I'm out there, and I know i've done all I can to prepare, I just enjoy it!

I have the opposite problem, I can't stop smiling a lot of the time... I find it very difficult to look serious and dramatic in tango... But if I pretend DP is someone I reallllly don't like, it usually works out